Work apparatuses of this kind, for example olive pickers, hedge trimmers or one like, have an electric motor and the rotating drive shaft of the electric motor drives a work tool in an oscillating manner via a gear mechanism. In this case, the gear mechanism converts the rotary movement into a reciprocating movement of the work tools.
The electric motor is disposed in a circuit which includes at least the electric motor and a switch via which the electric motor is put into operation from a supply system or a rechargeable battery pack.
It has been found that converting the rotary drive movement of the electric motor into an oscillating drive movement of the work tools subjects the gear mechanism to loading and one-sided wear. In order to prevent breakdown of the gear mechanism, it has to be correspondingly robust and designed for the preferred direction of rotation. This leads to a complex gear mechanism and therefore to a high weight, poor ergonomics and poor handling of the work apparatus.